Winterizing Your Pets see page 4
How You Can Save Applewood Golf Course see page 10
Let’s Talk Tires
Gazette
see page 12
NEIGHBORHOOD
Wheat Ridge | Edgewater | OCTOBER 16-NOVEMBER 20, 2015
Last-Minute Election Questions and Answers By J. Patrick O’Leary
I
t’s mid-October: Have you received your ballot? Still need to register? Do you understand how the recall election works? (Or anything on the ballot, for that matter?) This November, all elections will be conducted as a mail ballot election. A mail ballot packet, return envelope, secrecy sleeve and voting instructions should have been mailed the week of Oct. 12 to every eligible registered voter in Jefferson County. You may return your voted ballot by mail (with adequate postage), at a Ballot Dropoff Location or at a Voter Service Center – for Wheaties and Edgewater residents, that’s as simple as going to your city hall. If you have not received your ballot or need to register, there’s still time. Missing your ballot? If you moved, you will need to update your residence. Colorado electors may review and update their voter registration records, including address information, online at www.govotecolorado. com. Need to register? To register to vote in Colorado, you must be 18 or older (16 year olds can register, but can’t vote until age 18), a U.S. citizen and have been a resident of the state for at least 22 days. You’ll need I.D., too. You can register in person up to and including Election Day (Nov. 3) at the Jefferson County Elections Division at 3500 Illinois Ave., Suite 1100, (the Laramie Building) in Golden, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. You can also do so at any driver’s license office or any city
clerk's office in Jeffco. Don’t want to travel? The deadline for registering by mail was Oct. 12, but aspiring voters have until Oct. 26 to do so through the State of Colorado Online Voter Registration System, www.govotecolorado.com. To register online, you’ll need a Colorado State driver's license or ID card – otherwise, head on down to the Voter Service Center.
Did You Miss the Voter Forums?
The Jefferson County League of Women Voters, Edgewater’s mayor and Wheat Ridge United Neighborhoods have hosted free public forums on local ballot issues and to meet local candidates in September and early October. If you missed ‘em, you can still watch Wheat Ridge United Neighborhoods’ annual Candidates and Issues Election Forum on the City of Wheat Ridge Cable Channel 8, now through Election Day. This year’s event was videotaped on Sept. 30 in the Council Chambers of Wheat Ridge City Hall, and was to have featured candidates for Wheat Ridge City Council, City Clerk and City Treasurer, as well as Jefferson County School Board (including those involved in the recall election) and proponents and opponents of Wheat Ridge Ballot Issue 300 (TIF Financing) and State Ballot Proposition BB (TABOR: Refund of Excess Taxes). The forum will be rebroadcast daily up Continued on page 10
Is There Small Theatre? By Cyndy Beal
I
t’s often said there are no small roles when it comes to theatre. Perhaps it could also be said there are no small theaters or influence when it comes to a community theater? On 44th Avenue in between Field and Garrison, behind Joe’s Café, is a small theater in a nondescript brick building. This is where The Curtain Playhouse resides. They see their role as “bringing quality theatre education to the Denver area,” per their website. They have revamped the space, which was the former home of the David Clifton Ministries (Carpenters Cupboard) food bank, now located in Lakewood. They do still find food donations at their door from time to time. The Curtain Playhouse has kindly passed on these items to the food bank. The Curtain Playhouse was founded by Tammy and Eric Franklin in 2005. The husband and wife team have an extensive performing arts history. Their combined resumes show experience between the two of them as actors, directors, producers, set building and costume design in hundreds of productions.
In September, two of their performers received awards for their February production of Les Miserables. The two awards were for Best Vocal and Best Supporting Actress and three additional nominations at the 10th Annual National Youth Theatre Awards in Phoenix. More than 400 productions were considered for the awards. Over the last decade, they’ve moved their theater multiple times. They’ve operated their group in church basements, and most recently the Highlands Events Center for almost three years. They moved back to Wheat Ridge in April. Their previous location in Wheat Ridge was on 38th Avenue. “We’re really glad to be here,” said Co-founding Director Tammy Franklin of moving back to Wheat Ridge. The Franklins have a long-lived connection to Wheat Ridge. The two worked together at a photo studio about 25 years ago. More than a 100 students, mostly from the Highlands, are enrolled in the theatre programs. There are no auditions to enroll in the classes, which are open until they are filled. Instead auditions are held for the roles in the productions. Students attend Continued on page 10
WITCHES AND HALLOWEEN WARDROBE GRACED the grounds at the 2014 Trunk or Treat Event in the parking lot of the then Wheat Ridge 5-8 School, now Steven’s Elementary. Once again, thousands are expected to attend this annual event on Saturday, Oct. 24, starting at 4 p.m. PHOTO: BRITTA FISHER
Trunk or Treat Annual Halloween Fun by Silvana Vukadin-Hoitt
O
ne thing is for sure: Kids love their Halloween! The candy, the costumes, the scary stories and haunted houses. It’s a good thing then that the Trunk or Treat festival and parade is back again this year at Stevens Elementary on West 38th Place. Trunk or Treat was started by Wheat Ridge residents looking for a safe community event for their kids to celebrate the Halloween tradition. Initially created by a handful of parents as a neighborhood get together with a few cars, it swelled to 40 plus cars and 2,000 attendees within four years. Though Trunk or Treat still has the feel of a neighborhood bash, it is sponsored by Ridge at 38 and the ever expanding popular event is managed by Wheat Ridge 2020. Britta Fisher, Executive Director of Wheat Ridge 2020 says that the event is a good representation of how the Wheat Ridge community supports its own. “Trunk or Treat is really a wonderful experience for everyone and is supported with plenty of effort from volunteers, families and business owners alike, bringing our community at large together for a fun as well as a safe experience for our kids to enjoy.” The festivities get started on Saturday afternoon at three o’clock when the first cars start rolling into the Stevens Elementary parking lot, decorated to the hilt. The trunk of each participating car is decked out with a Halloween motif; some scary, some sassy and some wild and wacky. The cars will line up to show off their special decorations and also to reveal the goodies hidden in the trunks. Donations from the community guarantee that there will be plenty of candy mixed in with pencils and other useful school supplies for the trick or treaters, at least until the supply lasts. Trunk or Treat party officially starts at 4pm and ends at 6pm. With a couple thousand people projected to attend the affair, it might be a good idea to come early with the kids already dressed in costume and ready
to go. With support from members of the local Fire District and Police Department in attendance, the event will kick off as high school student volunteers lead the initial walk around the school parking lot for the costume parade at 4pm. Kristi Czajkowski, who along with her team of friends has participated the last three years, is looking forward to showing up again this year with her Trunk of goodies. “Some of the decorations are extremely well executed and the car owners go all out. It’s really worth coming down to see the creativity and thought that goes into the decorations.” She said that for her and her friends, it’s a great opportunity to hang out and do something supportive for the kids and community-oriented. “We decorate our car as creatively as we can with what we have around the house so that we can spend our money on buying candy for the trick or treaters.” Everyone will have a chance to vote on which ‘Trunk’ they think has the best decorations, with vote tickets given out during the event by volunteers. “Trunk or Treat has a strong showing because the community members consistently support it”, says Britta Fisher. The general consensus is that the event will have a high attendance rate which means that there is a chance more candy and supplies donations could be needed. Anyone wishing to drop off candy donations can do so at Right Coast Pizza, the Wheat Ridge 2020 office located at Vectra Bank, as well as other businesses along the 38th Avenue corridor. Parking for the event will be available at the Vectra Bank building and there is off street parking around the neighborhood. As an alternative, riding bikes, walking or taking the RTD bus #38 to the event are encouraged. Volunteers are still needed and if interested, should call 720-259-1030 and speak to Carolyn or Colleen at Wheat Ridge 2020. Trunk or Treat is also sponsored by Vectra Bank and Neighborhood Gazette.